He's Not Touching Her
Sarah Nagle

He’s Not Touching Her is a conceptual performance game designed to expose the gender socialization that leaves female-identifying people vulnerable to patterns of abuse on a micro and macro level. Set in a storefront space in Midtown Manhattan, it secondarily references the insidious relationship between gender oppression and consumerism.

A male dancer follows a blindfolded female dancer closely, and the only rule is: don’t let him touch you. If she comes into contact with him, he resets her and the game starts from the beginning. Showcasing a man and a woman coupled in the same game, He’s Not Touching Her acknowledges that all genders suffer from societally-defined gender expectations, but it highlights the severe disadvantages placed on female-identifying people.

About the Performers
Sarah Nagle builds durational performance installations with a focus on dismantling systemic categorizations of female-identifying bodies. She received Honors in Dance Composition from Goucher College, and continued her training as a scholarship student with Jennifer Muller/The Works. Her writing on gender bias in dance education has been published by Dance Magazine Online, and her work has been shown at Open Source Gallery, the Martha Graham School, 4 Times Square, Baruch Center for the Performing Arts, Brooklyn Army Terminal, and the Landmark Loew’s Theatre. Nagle has received creative support from EARTHDANCE Creators in Residence and Chashama Space to Present, and she enjoys artistic collaboration with STREB dancer Justin Ross. Coming up, she will show her work through RAW POP UP during Art Basel Miami 2018. Sarah may be followed on Instagram.

Justin Ross is from Sioux Falls, South Dakota and studied dance at George Mason University. He connected with Sarah Nagle through Jessica Taylor/DAMAGEDANCE, and sets site-specific performance installations with her throughout New York City. Ross currently dances with the STREB Extreme Action Company. Justin may be followed on Instagram.